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Opinion Column

The GOP's credibility gap

The Republican Party is looking for a new identity. And they’re looking, literally, everywhere.

At the Republican Governors Association in Las Vegas, former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour was the most … shall we say … direct, proclaiming, “We’ve got to give our political organizational activity a very serious proctology exam. We need to look everywhere.”

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Lovely.

Other Republicans in Vegas echoed Barbour’s comments, though with less colorful language. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell noted that, the party needs to “figure out what we did right and what we did wrong, how we can improve our tone, our message, our technology, our turnout - all the things that are required to win elections.” Bobby Jindal, who has been all over the airwaves with his suggestions, told reporters at the conference, “We need to stop being a dumb party, and that means more than stop making dumb comments.”

I’m loath to give the Republicans advice, but I’d humbly suggest that rather than giving their organization an uncomfortable exam just to change their tone, technology and turnout, they consider changing their ideas.

And I’d suggest they start by looking at their position on freedom.

The Republican Party has a major credibility gap on that issue. Why? The Republicans are for free enterprise, but not free people. And that is their fundamental problem.

Ask any Republican about the party’s core values and they’ll list a bunch of variations of the word, “freedom.” Free enterprise, free markets, free trade, economic freedom, freedom from taxation and regulation … liberty, unchaining the private sector, “Don’t Tread On Me” flags … basically get the government out of the way so private action can flourish. Like a bunch of “Bravehearts,” they just want their “freeeeeeeeeedom!!”

But their freedom only applies to businesses, not individuals.

For Republicans, it’s businesses that ought to be free of barriers to freely pursue commerce, but citizens must be burdened with barriers to freely exercising their rights, like the right to vote. Businesses must be trusted to act in any way they wish, but women cannot be trusted to make even their own health care decisions. Businesses ought to freely cross global borders to enjoy the global free market, but the tired, poor and hungry who yearn to be free … they’re not free to cross our borders. Business must be free to make contractual agreements, but individuals are not free to contract in marriage to whomever they may love.

The Inmates are running the Asylum and the People are not wise enough to detect it.We have got a SERIOUS Media / Educational Indoctrination problem! And a Serious Culture /Moral/ Religious Problem, if Americans think they have the right to feed from the trough of another man's Work and Labor. We also have a Republican failure to communicate successfully with the American people,WHY BIG GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE ANSWER! WHAT PART OF GREECE DON'T YOU PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ?

The Republican Party is looking for a new identity. And they’re looking, literally, everywhere.

Easy!!! Do what your voters elected you to do: To serve the People!!! If you wish to serve the 1%, corporations, special interest groups, and your Party, you are in the wrong track; GOP will continue to lose.

...and a Serious Culture /Moral/ Religious Problem, if Americans think they have the right to feed from the trough of another man's Work and Labor.

Moral and religious problem?

Out of curiousity, what religion or morality doesn't expect and obligate adherents to contribute to the welfare of those unable to care adequately for themselves? That's arguably the behavior you're denouncing... in the public sphere we call it government.

In the 1970's Richard Nixon proposed universal health care for all Americans. It was a moderate idea then. It was also a moderate idea when he spent more on social services then on the military, and when he created the EPA. The point being: the GOP has moved way too far to the right. Nixon would be considered a communist by their current standards. They can start their reformation by embracing the idea that government exists to "promote the general welfare" not to enrich the wealthy. They could also stop the name calling and engage in civil political dialogue that deals with actual facts.

The GOP is stuck on stupid. They have alienated so many people that now they are looking at the crash of the 2012 elections and the amount of as_kissing necessary is outrageous JUST to get people to remotely think about listening to what you have to say!!!!

The GOP simply needs to stop discriminating against gays and women in it's platform, public statements, and most importantly in the legislation Republicans introduce at the state and federal level. They are pushing women and gays away that might otherwise vote Republican. Stop fighting gay marriage and abortion, embrace the freedom.

Nate Silver has a new article up on his blog on the exit polling. Gays were 5% of voters and broke 76% for Obama. It turns out the straight vote in the swings states of Florida and Ohio actually slightly went to Romney, but 5% of the voters voting 76% of the time for Obama was enough to hand those states to Obama.

Republicans can no longer afford to marginalize gays, women and minorities with their big government social engineering approach, they need to really embrace smaller government and shed the big government social conservative agenda of the far right.

What this article is stating is basically that religion, as usual, is ruining our society. There are many good Republicans with good ideas. Problem is they will never get elected because they have to cater to the religious right and be social rejects. And it's only going to get worse as time wears on.

The GOP pandered and pandered and pandered to far right extremists. Now they want to change their image? People already know who they are. Besides I am in my sixties and have watched Republicans repeatedly promise one thing, then get into office and do the direct opposite. Just take 2010 the repubs ran on JOBS JOBS JOBS but have done absolutely nothing to help with jobs and even blocked the presidents jobs bill.

Demographics, strategy, new technology wont make the Republican positions 'attractive to voters'.

The Republicans have had forty years (that's two decades) to demonstrate that cutting taxes on 'job creators' helps the nation's economy.

During that time, the top rates for the wealthiest have dropped from 70% to 35% and the deficit has risen from $ 199 Billion to $ 1,111 Billion, middle class incomes have stagnated, educational achievement has declined, pensions/homevalues have vanished.

The voters say four decades is long enough for 'tax cuts for the wealthy to work'. They dont.

What this article is stating is basically that religion, as usual, is ruining our society. There are many good Republicans with good ideas. Problem is they will never get elected because they have to cater to the religious right and be social rejects. And it's only going to get worse as time wears on.

I'm friends, family, and personally subject to this exact point. So many Obama "supporters" became that way, and eventually dropped the Republican party, because of this. however, the GOP has painted itself into a whole. Moderates, Progressives, and Liberals can see that the GOP is owned and operated by the 1%ers. ALEC, Koch, Rove, Norquist...that is who the Republicans work for. However the least intelligent demographic of our population happens to be the majority...and that majority can easily be duped by flashy phrases, "louder than you" personalities, and pandering to race and religion. So the GOP is so desperate to hold onto that base because that base can't see them for who they are that they are alienating everyone else....and that base is shrinking every year and the eldest die off and the young open their eyes.

Many Dems are socially conservative. I personally know and implore that we must cut entitlement spending drastically, without cutting our neediest off completely. I also know that the middle class can't bear the weight of the cuts when the top 98% actually benefit from those same cuts. I also know that our form of socialized healthcare has to end. Me paying (copays) on $20k when my child breaks his arm because I have to offset all the "freedom lovers" that simply don't bother with insurance is unsustainable. The ACA is only a stepping stone to the right answer I'm sure, but we MUST begin somewhere, so it's a start.

The GOP is stuck on stupid. They have alienated so many people that now they are looking at the crash of the 2012 elections and the amount of as_kissing necessary is outrageous JUST to get people to remotely think about listening to what you have to say!!!!

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We don't play identity politics. In our eyes, you are an American or not.

Let me affirm Ms. Granholm viewpoint. Who better than Mr. Romoney to preach the RepukliCon Flatform of hypocrisy. This Icon of the 1% Gold Club evolved from being two-faced to being two headed.

It was very ugly to see a man abandon his own soul to be a political mannequin. Romoney is a textbook example of losing all freedoms. Sad ! His own fabrication of Romnesia will prevent him from recovering his integrity.

What a blessing for America that over half of the population understood the Scam of the (GOP) God Offal Pretenders, and just voted NO.

Republicans should welcome suggestions for improving their party from Democrats. I am politically independent (I'll admit I lean liberal) so I listen to what both sides have to say -- and what I've heard from Republicans since the 1990's are stupid, self-serving, misogynistic, crudely disguised race baiting, blame, blame, blame, and "you people" condescension, messages that honestly curdle my brain. More recently, I've observed Republicans engaged in way too much "my way or the highway" talk to make me think they've lost their moral compass. No way will I vote for the representative of a political party whose mouthpieces spout utter b.s. and claim an American-born man is a Ugandan Kenyan Muslim America-hating, Europe-loving, Nazi/Communist whose aim is to turn the flawless United States into a socialist nation and rob us of our freedoms.